Bed with reciprocable head portion



Dec. 29, 1970 c. WELTNER BED WITH RECIPROCABLE HEAD PORTION Filed July24, 1969 United States Patent 3,550,165 BED WITH RECIPROCABLE HEADPORTION Corliss L. Weltner, Rte. 3, P.O. Box 300, Parkersburg, W. Va.26101 Filed July 24, 1969, Ser. No. 844,363 Int. Cl. E03d 13/00 US. Cl.-109 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A support for the internalframe of a bed to lend the head portion of the frame lateralreciprocating motion. Such portion is hung on pivoted vertical arms, anddrawn from side to side by a power unit under the head end of the bed.The power unit has a worm drive with a side link connected to the headportion of the internal frame. At the foot end of the bed the framerests on a central balljoint built in the base of the bedstead. With thedevice designed for inducing relaxation and sleep, the reciprocatingmovement by vertical suspension is not necessary at the foot end of thebed, and the device is therefore adaptable to beds having a low board orno board at the foot end.

My invention relates to beds, and more particularly to means forimparting a movement to the same similar to that employed in Pat. No.2,617,122 to L. A. Chisholm, dated Nov. 11, 1952, for a cradle. In thispatent the cradle is suspended at its ends from parallel straps pivotedat the top to end-boards of the cradle-supporting structure. This makesit possible to swing the cradle from side to side with a motion moregentle than a rocking one and conducive to relaxation and sleep.

One object of the present invention is to retain the suspension andmovement of the frame within the bedstead in a manner similar to thecradle in the above mentioned patent, but adapt the movement to bedswhich have a low board or no board at the foot end by reducing thesupport of the internal frame in that region to a simple pivot forpurposes of simplicity and to omit the reciprocating movement where itis not needed.

A further object is to provide a ball-joint and bracing assembly for theinternal frame at the foot end of the bedstead which eases thereciprocating movement of the frame and insures the stability of thelatter.

Another object is to provide a power source for im parting thereciprocating movement which is compact and confined to the head end ofthe bedstead.

A better understanding of the invention may be gained by reference tothe accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the improved bed, partly in section;

FIG. 2 is a side view looking from right-to-left at FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on the tions broken away; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 with portionsbroken away.

Referring specifically to the drawing, denotes the base of a bedsteadsuitable for the present purpose, the head board of the bedstead beingindicated at 11. The internal bed frame is shown at 12, and may containslats or other supports (not shown) for a box spring or mattress.

Supporting means for the bed frame at the foot of the bed are shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, a center post is mounted on the base 10 and reducedto a screw 15a which depends freely through the base to receive a washer16 and securing nut 17. The post rises through the bottom 18a of a brace18 extending crosswise under the foot end of the frame 12, the endportions of the brace being seline 3 3 of FIG. 2 with porcured to theframe by bolts 20. The upper end of the post 15 receives a ball 21 whichseats in a socket 12a secured in the frame. The construction justdescribed constitutes the post 15 as support for the foot end of theframe about which the latter and its brace 18 may rotate in lateraldirections. The brace 18 bolted at 20 and received on center post 15will prevent inner frame or support 12 from having relative longitudinalor transverse movement with respect to base 10. The ball 21 received insocket 12a will permit restrained pivotal movement about post 15; andthe inner frame 12 rests on ball 21 to permit the pivotal movement.

The head board 11 of the bedstead has corner posts 11a; and these aredesigned to support the head end of the internal frame 12. Thus, theposts have horizontal bolts 25 at the top forming pivots for the upperends of a pair of vertical arms 26; and the frame 12 has rearward bolts12b receiving the lower ends of the arms 26.

It is now apparent that the head-end of the frame 12 is suspended fromthe bed posts 11a and may be swung from side to side. Power means to dothis are shown in the form of an electric motor 27, a worm-gear drive28, and a link 29 from the latter to one of the bolts 12b; and thelateral swing of the frame 12 is pivotal about the ball-joint 2112a.Moreover, this movement will be most prominent in the region of thehead-end of the bed where the need for imparting relaxation and sleep tothe bed occupant is greatest. Since no reciprocating movement is neededat the foot end of the bed, beds having a low board or no board at suchend can be adapted for the desired movement by means of the simpleball-joint 21-12a at the foot end; and the transverse brace 18 addslateral support for the frame to keep it level. Further, the powersource for operating the frame is compactly assembled under the head endof the bed. A guard 30 is shown erected at the head end of the frame 12to check bed-clothes from reaching the zone of the frame-operatingmechanism. Finally, a time clock 31 may be provided at the head of thebed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to shut the motor 27 off after aprescribed operating period. When the link 29 is reciprocated as apitman drive, and through the connection of links 26 at 12b and 25, thehead of the bed passes in a gentle are (equal to the throw of the pitmandrive through the normal horizontal plane in which the head of the innerframe 12 is returned and suspended. At the same time, the foot of thebed, through the connection of brace 18, arms 18a, bolts 20, screw 15,15a and ball and socket 21, 21a, is substantially restrained to pivotalmovement in a horizontal plane, due to any resultant forces transmittedthrough side members of inner frame 12 due to torque imposed on innerframe 12 (at the head) when oscillatory movement is applied throughpitman drive 29, disc 28 and motor 27.

I claim:

1. A bedstead, comprising in combination:

a generally horizontal base having a foot and head integral with aheadboard;

an inner support frame;

first support means displaceably suspending said inner support frameadjacent said headboard for oscillatory movement in an arc passingslightly through a generally horizontal plane in a path above saidhorizontal base;

second support means pivotally supporting the inner frame from beneathand adjacent the foot of said horizontal base for oscillatory movementabout a vertical pivot,

said second support means including an element substantially restrainingthe pivotal movement of said foot to a substantially horizontal plane.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 including power means on saidhorizontal base and including a periodically 3 oscillatable forcetransmitting portion operatively connected to said inner support frame.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said first support meanscomprises elongated links terminally journaled on horizontal axesbetween the headboard and said inner support frame.

4. The structure as claimed in claim 3 including power means on saidhorizontal base and including a worm-gear drive having aneccentrically-pivoted link connected to a rotary disc, said lastmentioned link being pivotally connected at the terminal pivot of one ofsaid first mentioned links at the inner support.

5. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said second supportmeans comprises a vertical center post said inner support frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,617,122 11/1952 Chisholm 5l092,808,828 10/1957 Rubin 5109X BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner anchored tosaid horizontal base centrally and adjacent 15 J. C, MITCHELL, AssistantExaminer

